AAC Notebook: Rutgers Changing QB For UConn Game

With two losses in a row and four losses in five games, Rutgers needs a drastic change.

So as the Scarlet Knights visit Rentschler Field Saturday, there will be a new quarterback in the starting lineup. Coach Kyle Flood announced Monday that senior Chas Dodd will start in place of Gary Nova, who has five touchdown passes and eight interceptions over the past five games.

Overall, Nova is 165 of 303 for 2,159 yards and 18 touchdowns. He guided Rutgers to a 4-1 start, but the Scarlet Knights have been struggling offensively. Over the five-game slide — which includes losses to Louisville, Houston, Cincinnati and Central Florida — Rutgers has averaged 16 points.

And that's after averaging 40 points in the first five games.

So UConn (1-9) must prepare for Dodd, who has started 16 games in his career. He was the starter for the last eight games of 2010 and started eight games in 2011.

"Obviously we're looking at the film, kind of a getting a feel for what kind of momentum they've got," UConn coach T.J. Weist said on the weekly American Athletic Conference media teleconference Monday. "We look more at the [coaching staff] more than anything, at really what their track record is. I think we're going to have to stop them. They're kind of a balanced attack, so we're just going to have to mix things up and try to confuse them a little bit. Obviously we've got to keep getting pressure on the quarterback."

Dodd is 8-8 as a starter and his last start was in the Pinstripe Bowl on Dec. 30, 2011. Dodd has played this season, completing 29 of 46 passes for 247 yards.

UConn is coming off its first victory of the season, a comeback win at Temple Saturday. The defense allowed 21 points in the first half but the unit shut out the Owls in the second half.

Weist said he hopes the defense builds off the second-half performance. And even though the Huskies are facing a different quarterback, there is plenty of game video of Dodd for UConn coaches and players to study

"I wouldn't say easier, but it is a little more defined for us," Weist said. "But it all becomes just about momentum, just becomes about us playing with energy and making our plays. There's not a lot of big adjustments we can make right now, late in the season. … We've just got to play solid defense. There's no magic schemes that are going to win it."

Smallwood Gets Honor

UConn junior linebacker Yawin Smallwood was named American Athletic Conference defensive player of the week Monday. Smallwood had a game-high eight tackles, including a sack and two tackles for loss, in the 28-21 win over Temple in Philadelphia.

Smallwood turned in the play of the game when he returned an interception 59 yards for the winning touchdown.

The Worcester native is third in The American in tackles (10.2 a game) and has 102 tackles on the season, his second season in a row with 100 or more tackles.

"He's very serious every day," Weist said. "He works hard every day. He's serious about it, football means a lot to him. And he's going to get better and better. Hopefully these last two games he keeps stepping up. … We want him as a team captain, as a team leader, to just keep making players and keep building every drive."

Kay Top Offensive Player

The American offensive player of the week is Cincinnati quarterback Brendon Kay, who completed 29 of 50 passes for 386 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-17 win over Houston. It was his fourth 300-yard game of the season. Overall, Kay has 2,799 yards and 22 touchdowns for the Bearcats (9-2). … Houston freshman punter Richie Leone was named special teams player of the week after averaging 44.7 yards on 10 punts in the loss to Cincinnati. A Ray Guy Award semifinalist, Leone is averaged 43.1 yards per punt this season. … Cincinnati and Louisville (10-1) are off this week as they prepare to face each other Dec. 5. Both are 6-1 in the conference, trailing Central Florida (9-1, 6-0). UCF hosts South Florida (2-8) Friday and ends its regular season at SMU (5-5) Dec. 7.